The Role of Low-dose Anti-thymocyte Globulin as Standard Prophylaxis in Mismatched and Matched Unrelated Hematopoietic Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancies.

Introduction: Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)-based immunosuppressive therapy is often used in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation to reduce incidence and severity of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

Patients And Methods: In our observational study, ATG (rabbit, Thymoglobulin; Sanofi, 5 mg/kg) was administered as a standardized part of the conditioning in 97 patients with a median age of 34 years (range, 14-58 years), allotransplanted for hematologic malignancies from matched (8/8; n = 52) and allele or antigen mismatched (7/8; n = 43 and 6/8; n = 2) unrelated donors.

Results: Five-year overall survival (OS) was 46.

Nelarabine-associated reversible Guillain-Barré-like syndrome or myelopathy in an adult patient with primary refractory T-lymphoblastic lymphoma.

Nelarabine is a purine analogue used for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma mainly as a bridge to stem cell transplantation. The water-soluble prodrug of 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl guanine (Ara-G) is phosphorylated within leukemic cells to form ara-G triphosphate (ara-GTP), which terminates DNA chain elongation, resulting in cell death. The drug received accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on October 2005 based on the induction of complete remissions in 2 phase II trials.

Monosomal karyotype in acute myeloid leukemia defines a distinct subgroup within the adverse cytogenetic risk category.

Monosomal karyotype (MK) has recently been reported to identify a distinct subset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with adverse prognosis. We retrospectively evaluated the frequency of MK in a large cohort of 549 unselected AML cases diagnosed in our department over a period of 13 years and explored potential associations with clinicobiological features and outcome. MK was found in 62 of 549 cases (11.

An outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia bacteremia in hospitalized hematology patients selectively affecting those with acute myeloid leukemia.

Background: Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is a group of common environmental bacteria that preferentially colonize and infect patients with cystic fibrosis but are also emerging as nosocomial pathogens, possibly due to their resistance to disinfectants and antimicrobials.

Methods: We investigated a 3-month outbreak of Bcc bacteremia among hospitalized hematology patients. Environmental investigation and infection control measures were implemented.

Immunoglobulin light chain repertoire in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Immunoglobulin kappa (IGK) and immunoglobulin lambda (IGL) light chain repertoire was analyzed in 276 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cases and compared with the relevant repertoires from normal, autoreactive, and neoplastic cells. Twenty-one functional IGKV genes were used in IGKV-J rearrangements of 179 kappa-CLL cases; the most frequent genes were IGKV3-20(A27), IGKV1-39/1D-39(O2/O12), IGKV1-5(L12), IGKV4-1(B3), and IGKV2-30(A17); 90 (50.3%) of 179 IGK sequences were mutated (similarity < 98%).

Transferrin receptor-1 and 2 expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Transferrin receptor (TfR)-1 and 2 mRNA and CD71 (TfR1) expression was analyzed in 118 CLL patients. Ninety-five out of 109 analyzed cases expressed CD71, mostly at a high level; 60% of CD71 (+) cases were IGH-mutated. All samples were TfR1 mRNA (+); TfR2-alpha/beta mRNA was detected in, respectively, 52/102 and 100/109 cases.

Immunoglobulin heavy- and light-chain repertoire in splenic marginal zone lymphoma.

The considerable heterogeneity in morphology, immunophenotype, genotype, and clinical behavior of splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) hinders firm conclusions on the origin and differentiation stage of the neoplastic cells. Immunoglobulin (IG) gene usage and somatic mutation patterns were studied in a series of 43 SMZL cases. Clonal IGHV-D-J rearrangements were amplified in 42/43 cases (4 cases carried double rearrangements).

Rituximab is effective for selected patients with chronic steroid-refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

We report results of Rituximab therapy in four patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) refractory to 3-8 prior therapeutic regimens. Rituximab was administered at a dose of 375 mg/m2 once weekly for 4-6 weeks. Three out of four patients achieved a complete remission (rise to platelet count above 100,000/microl).